Lawsuit from Tennessee family alleges son was killed by police, not drugs, in video withheld from them

A mother from Tennessee has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that police and paramedics used excessive force and failed to provide proper care to her 23-year-old son during a seizure, ultimately leading to his death. The lawsuit, filed after The Associated Press shared body-camera footage with the family, challenges the official explanation of a drug overdose causing the son’s death.

The lawsuit claims that Austin Hunter Turner was mistreated by officers who restrained and tasered him, despite him experiencing a medical emergency. The family’s lawyers argue that the police video contradicts the accounts provided by the officers involved in the incident in Bristol, Tennessee.

The mother, Karen Goodwin, hopes the lawsuit will hold the city and the involved officers and firefighters accountable for violating Turner’s civil rights. Goodwin expressed frustration over initially believing the police’s explanation of her son’s death and now seeks justice for what she believes was a mishandled medical emergency.

The case sheds light on broader issues identified in an AP investigation regarding the lack of accountability in fatal encounters involving police use of force. Turner’s family faced challenges in finding legal representation due to factors such as qualified immunity, which shields officers from lawsuits, and statutes of limitations for seeking damages.

Legal experts suggest that a judge will need to determine if the lawsuit can proceed based on when the family became aware of the full circumstances surrounding Turner’s death. The complaint alleges a cover-up by authorities, possibly resetting the starting point for the statute of limitations.

The lawsuit questions the initial findings of the medical examiner, who attributed Turner’s death to drug toxicity. However, independent experts reviewing the case records argue that police actions, including pinning Turner face down, played a significant role in his demise.

Since watching the police video, Goodwin has challenged the authorities’ handling of the situation, pointing out the delay in providing medical assistance to Turner and the focus on recounting the violence instead of prioritizing his care. The lawsuit seeks accountability for what the family perceives as a wrongful death resulting from inadequate medical response and excessive force.